Artist Profiles: Karan Casey

Vocalist, songwriter, producer and pianist Karan Casey was born in Ballyduff Lower, Kilmeaden, County Waterford, Ireland in 1969.

In 1993, Karan emigrated to New York City and began a jazz degree in Brooklyn’s Long Island University. Making the rounds of the sessions in New York, she was asked to join Atlantic Bridge. Later she joined Seamus Egan, Winifred Horan, John Doyle and John Williams to form the influential American Celtic music band Solas.

The band recorded three albums in just four years, and won NAIRD (former independent record industry association) indie awards for each. They played with Bela Fleck, Iris De Ment, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, The Chieftains, Donal Lunny, Sharon Shannon and Paul Winter while touring extensively in the United States, Europe and Japan.

As a member of Solas for several years, Karan Casey was critically acclaimed, from Japan to the United States, as one of Ireland’s greatest singers.

Karan Casey’s solo career has flourished since her separation from the band Solas. Casey’s voice is among the most beautiful in Irish folk music, and she is a wonderful interpreter of both contemporary and traditional material. Her use of grace notes and vibrato has become remarkably subtle.

Her album “Chasing the Sun” successfully combines traditional but sharp-tongued songs – such as the epic unaccompanied ballad “Jimmy Whelan” – with contemporary material that reflects Casey’s rising status as one of Ireland’s most politically-charged singers.

Karan’s own compositions reveal increasing confidence and incisive social awareness, not least “When Will We All Be Free”, which attacked Ireland’s policies on immigration.

Karan Casey won awards for ‘Best Folk Album’ and ‘Best Folk Female’ from Irish Music magazine, and was nominated for the BBC Folk Awards and the Danish music awards. She has performed on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion on public radio in the United States, and appeared at many prestigious venues and festivals.

Karan Casey retured to Ireland and currently lives in Cork.

In 2018, Karan released “Hieroglyphs That Tell the Tale”. The album included a diverse mix of genres, including alt-country, rock, gospel and blues as well as Irish folk music.

Casey’s concern for the marginalization of women led her to initiate the #FairPlé (“Fair Play”) campaign in 2019 to promote gender balance in the production, performance, promotion, and development of Irish traditional and folk music. #FairPlé (“plé” is the Irish word for “discussion”) prompted the rise of a movement called “Mise Fosta (Me Too),” which aims to address concerns about women’s personal safety and security in Irish music circles, from performance situations to recording studios to touring.

“We started a conversation that needed to take place,” Karan said. “I am proud of the work that we’ve done. It’s not been without difficulty, and disappointment, and I was perhaps a little naïve about how entrenched some of the attitudes are toward women. But the idea behind #FairPlé wasn’t to make people feel bad. It’s to the benefit of everyone if women feel safe, feel equal, and feel included.”

Casey’s repertoire has long included traditional, contemporary or original songs that speak to the condition of women.

In 2023, Irish vocalist Karan Casey collaborated with producer Sean Óg Graham to release the album “Nine Apples of Gold.” The album explores profound themes of well-being, solidarity, women’s advocacy, and mortality. Casey’s enchanting melodies immerse listeners in the natural world, capturing the beauty of songbirds and moonlit paths. With Casey’s distinct vocal style and Graham’s modern Americana sound, the album features additional guest vocalists and a diverse lineup of talented musicians.

Discography:

Solas (Shanachie, 1996)

Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers, with Solas (Shanachie, 1997)

Songlines (Shanachie, 1997)

The Words That Remain, with Solas (Shanachie, 1998)

Seal Maiden (Music Little People, 2000)

The Winds Begin to Sing (Shanachie, 2001)

Distant Shore (Shanachie, 2003)

Chasing the Sun (Shanachie, 2005)

Reunion: A Decade of Solas, CD & DVD, with Solas (2006)

Ships in the Forest (Compass Records, 2008)

Two More Hours (Crow Valley Music, 2014)

Hieroglyphs That Tell the Tale (Vertical Records, 2018)

Nine Apples of Gold (Crow Valley Music, 2023)

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.